The History of The Church of Ingria

1611 — The first Finnish-speaking parish is founded on the territory of Ingria in Lembolovo; it was part of the Church of Sweden (1618 — in the Vyborg diocese)

1639 — The Territory of Ingria is divided into two districts: Nivenskoe and Ivangorod

1700-1721 — The Great Northern war is fought, during which Ingermanland goes to the Russian Empire. By this time the Church of Ingria has 28 parishes.

1703 — St. Petersburg is founded. Tsar Peter allows the creation of a Swedish-Finnish parish for the inhabitants of the former city of Nien.

1734 — Empress Anna Ivanovna gives the Swedish-Finnish community land near Nevsky Prospect, where a wooden St. Anna’s Church is built.

1767 — Finns build St. Mary’s Church, which will become the main Finnish Church in Russia.

1819 — Tsar Alexander the 1st issues a decree concerning the establishment of a single Episcopal confederation for all of the Evangelical-Lutheran parishes of the Russian Empire, and the establishment of a General Consistory

1820 — Zacarias Signeus, called from the Grand Duchy of Finland, becomes the first Lutheran Bishop of St. Petersburg

1917 — The Revolution occurs in Russia, which starts a period of persecution

1921 — The Church of Ingria forms an independent district with the Synodical Consistory. Felix Relander becomes the Bishop of the Finnish Lutheran parishes in Russia.

1925 — Selim Yalmar of Laurikkala (1882-1957) succeeds Felix Relander

1929 — Education in the parishes, working with children and youth and social services are prohibited. Ingrians start being subject to mass deportations, repression and arrests.

1938 — After the closing of the last churches, the Lutheran parishes cease to exist

1961 — Worship services in Finnish start in Narva

1969 — The parish in Petrozavodsk is opened

1977 — The parish in Pushkin is opened

1988 — The parish in Gubanitsy is opened

1989 — For the first time since the persecution, Ingrians in Koltushi celebrate the Day of John the Baptist

1989 — The first diaconal courses are held in Koltushi, by Leino Hassinen

1990 — The first diaconal ordination is held in Pushkin

1991 — The Soviet Union ceases to exist

1991 — The first issue of the magazine “The Church of Ingria” is published in December

1992 — The Church of Ingria attains official State registration

1992 — The Church in Koltushi is sanctified

1993 — The first Synod of the Church of Ingria is held

1993 — The Episcopal ordination of Leino Hassinen takes place

1995 — The Training (educational) Center in Koltushi is opened

1996 — the Episcopal ordination of Arry Kugappi takes place

1996 — The Ural Deanery of the Church of Ingria is founded

2001 — The Siberian Deanery of the Church of Ingria is founded

2003 — The new academic building of the Theological Institute of the Church of Ingria is consecrated

2006 — The Russian-speaking deanery is divided into the Moscow and the Volga region deaneries

2009 — In Vladikavkaz, the southern parish of the Church of Ingria is founded

2011 — The Church of Ingria celebrates 400 years

2012 — The book “The Way of Faith Through the Centuries. The Church of Ingria: 400 Years of History, 40 Years Without Temples, 4 Milestones of the Revival” is published

2014 — The hymnal of the Church of Ingria, which includes 456 hymns, is published

2015 — The audio version of the hymnal of the Church of Ingria is published